Computer graphics design is a process in which artistic sense and basic knowledge of the principles are important. But where to start designing? Here are some steps that can help you get started with computer graphics design:

Define your project goal – Before you start designing, you need to define the goal of your project. Do you want to create a logo, leaflet, poster, website design or social media graphics? In the last case, the size of the graphics is very important – you can check the current sizes of graphics for social media in the article by Katarzyna Przepiórka-Caputa from Agencja KS. A well-defined goal will help you choose the right graphic design tools and techniques.

Get the tools – You need software and hardware to be able to design computer graphics. There are many tools available on the market, including paid and free programs. Depending on the project you want to create, you may need programs for editing photos, video, animation, vector graphics, and more. In our Agency we most often use:

Adobe Photoshop – the basic tool of every graphic designer, used to edit raster graphics, the program is often used in computer graphics, photography, advertising and other fields. Photoshop offers advanced tools for color correction, retouching and photo manipulation. The program also includes many filters and effects that allow you to add an artistic style.

Adobe Illustrator – a vector graphics creation tool that offers advanced tools and features that enable designers to create advanced graphic designs that, as I mentioned earlier, can be scaled and adapted to many different formats without loss of quality. Illustrator offers many advanced tools such as drawing tools, fill tools, gradients, effects, layers and much more. Illustrator is used to design logos, vector illustrations, infographics and advertising graphics,

Adobe InDesign – professional desktop publishing (DTP) software that is used to design and typeset text, graphics, tables and other elements to create publications for print or digital. The program is often used in the design of newspapers, magazines, books, brochures, leaflets, catalogues. It is worth adding that Adobe graphics programs also allow you to import and export files between various graphics programs, which allows you to save time and create various tasks in multiple programs at the same time.

Adobe Premiere Pro – comprehensive video editing and editing software that gives you plenty of features and full control over your project. The program is characterized by a friendly interface that can be customized to suit you. Integration with other Adobe tools is also an important element. In our Agency, we use Adobe Premiere to edit short videos from materials sent by the client, sometimes we also produce longer productions.

Figma – Online user interface (UI) design and prototyping program. It is a tool that allows you to create websites, applications, graphics and other interactive elements using advanced functions and tools. Figma lets you create designs in real time and share them with other team members or clients, making it easier to work on a project as a group. In the program, you can create designs from scratch or import ready-made designs or images from other tools.

Why less is more? Simplicity and minimalism are one of the key principles of modern graphic design. The average person in today’s world is bombarded with a huge amount of information. Therefore, designers strive to create graphics that are simple and transparent, without unnecessary information that is incomprehensible to the recipient.

Minimalism in graphics for Social Media is manifested by the selection of appropriate, readable fonts and a clear and simple message. What materials you have at your disposal is very important. Make sure that the client provides you with valuable photographs that will harmonize with the graphics and will not disturb the message. Remember to keep the content in the graphics as simple as possible so that the recipient can quickly understand the information provided.

Contrast means the difference between two or more design elements, which may be expressed through differences in colors, shapes, sizes, font styles and other visual features. Contrast in a good design allows you to highlight important graphic elements, increasing the readability and clarity of the design.

We will not achieve contrast by using a 14-point font and a 16-point font close to each other. Similarly with colors, we will not achieve contrast by using yellow with orange or brown with black. Contrast can be achieved by using a bolder font in the most important information, headings or subtitles, and a much smaller one in less important text.

Contrast is also an important element of web design, where it is worth ensuring that important elements are easily visible and accessible to the user. Therefore, using contrast in designs is one of the basic elements of graphic design that helps designers create designs that are effective and attract the attention of recipients.

Hierarchy is the main principle of graphic design – it is the organization in the project that determines which elements are the most important and important to the recipient.

Hierarchy consists of several elements such as size, color, style, composition and text layout. Thanks to hierarchy, designers can control how audiences perceive content and what design elements attract their attention.

A well-thought-out hierarchy in graphic design can help make the content easier to read and understand, attract the recipient’s attention and highlight the most important elements of the design. Designers should therefore pay special attention to creating hierarchy in their graphic designs to ensure that their messages are effective and easy to understand.

The proper hierarchy concerns:

• font thickness and size,
• content arrangement,
• colors,
• size and arrangement of elements in the graphics,
  free space.

Composition in graphic design is the process of organizing visual elements on the design plane in such a way as to achieve the desired aesthetic and functional effect. It may include various design elements such as color, form, texture, proportions and space. The goal is to create a harmonious, coherent and eye-catching composition. A well-composed graphic design should be easy to read and at the same time arouse interest and evoke the desired emotions in recipients.

There are three basic types of compositions:

Central composition – a method of designing graphics in which the most important elements are placed in the central part of the design. This effect causes the recipient to first notice the element or graphic exposed in the center, and only then the text placed on the side of the graphic.

Open composition – very often used in various types of banners. It involves arranging elements so that they extend beyond the edges of the design. The most common example is a project with a photo cropped in the right place (so that it contains the most important elements for us) and aligned to the edges. In this case, avoid cutting the faces of people in the photo.

Closed composition – the opposite of an open composition, in this composition all elements such as content, photos, buttons are placed in such a way that none of them is cut off and does not go beyond the frame.

Computer graphics offer a wide range of possibilities, but you should remember about the principle of coherence and consistency, which ensure that the design will be effective, legible and aesthetic.

Consistency refers to maintaining a uniform style and consistent look across all design elements. This means that graphic elements such as color, font, layout and style should be used consistently across all projects, including websites, documents, presentations and other materials.

Consistency refers to repetition and continuity in design. Design elements should be repeatable and predictable for the user, making the design easier to understand and use. For example, navigation buttons on a website should be placed in the same place on every page so that the user knows where to look for them.

Coherence and consistency are important because they help maintain a consistent message and design aesthetic, which makes it easier for the user to perceive it. In a design that is inconsistent and inconsistent, a user can easily get lost and decide not to use it.

Functionality is one of the key principles of graphic design, which refers to the ability to design products and projects that are not only aesthetically attractive, but also practical and effective in operation.

In the context of graphic design, functionality refers to creating designs that are easy for the user to use and understand while still meeting the needs and business goals of the project. This means that the designer must take into account the needs of users and adapt the design to their needs and expectations.

In order to ensure the functionality of the project, developers can use various tools and techniques. One of the most important is user research, which allows designers to better understand user needs and adapt the design to their requirements.

Another important technique for ensuring design functionality is designing for accessibility. Developers must take into account the diverse needs of users, including people with disabilities, older users, and users using different devices such as smartphones and tablets. You must ensure that the design is intuitive and easy to use.